


The Death Songs of Ygraine and Uther Pendragon

by Slayer_of_Destiny



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 'The Death Song of Uther Pendragon', Drama, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-31
Updated: 2013-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-25 06:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/949606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slayer_of_Destiny/pseuds/Slayer_of_Destiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A rewrite of the episode 'The Death Song of Uther Pendragon'. Split into two chapters, the first being Ygraine showing up instead of Uther and how that would change Merlin and Arthur's destiny. The second being from the episode with a few key differences and how that would have changed the episode</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ygraine, A Mother's Song

Arthur looked at Merlin one last time, at his unhappy face but clearly showing that he wasn't going to stop Arthur from doing this. He ignored the tug in his chest as Merlin's blue eyes watched him with concern. But he faced the stones and blew on the horn, the piercing sound echoing around the area. He breathed in and thought about his father, of wanting to see him again, of wanting to hear him again. How much he wanted to hear a parents advise right now.

The light swelled around him and took in a light breath before he walked forwards into the light. He was shocked by the icy heat that washed over him, freezing his skin and yet burning it up at the same time. He realised with a start that he was no longer walking through the light, instead the light was forming a room of some sort around him, about the size of the area inside of the stones. Gazed around awed it took him a moment to realise that there was a figure forming in front of him.

He squinted waiting to see his father finally, but blinked when the figure took on a distinctly feminine appearance, an appearance that was definitely not his father's. He couldn't stop his breath from audibly catching when he took in the long white dress, the regal bearing, the golden skin, soft blue eyes, golden blonde hair.

"Mother?" Arthur choked out.

"Arthur," Ygraine smiled, her eyes filling with tears as she took in her son.

"Can…can I…" Arthur reached out not able to finish the words as his hungrily drunk in his mother's appearance. He had come to see his father, but he realised in his heart that the parent he really wanted to see was the one that was standing in front of him right now.

"That is the gift of the horn, here I am as real as you are," Ygraine reached out and cupped her son's cheeks, meeting the eyes that were so much like her own.

"I…" Arthur jerked forwards, wrapping his arms around his mother's waist and buried his face into her hair. He felt like a little boy, needing his mother's comforting hug, a hug he had never been able to receive when he was little and engraved into his memory now. And Ygraine hugged him back with a strength that completely belied her slender frame, her hands alternating between running through his hair and rubbing his back. He was glad he had removed his armour before this otherwise he would have likely had to break their hug quickly to stop himself from hurting his mother.

"Oh Arthur, I am so proud of you! You have no idea, you are doing so amazingly well!" Ygraine said softly, aware that even though she would quite happily spend their limited time holding her son in her arms for the second time in their lives, there were things that needed to be said and discussed.

"I… some days I worry," Arthur admitted into her shoulder.

"About what?" Ygraine asked softly, running her fingers through his hair and wondering at how it was the exact same shade as her own.

"That I have made the wrong choices. That I am not strong enough. The decisions I have made, the changes are so different to how father ruled," Arthur made a noise of protest when Ygraine pulled away from their hug, but she gripped his face again, her blue eyes serious as she looked at him.

"Arthur, your father was a good man, and a strong king. But you are a better man and a better king. Your father put his own feelings and his own anger above those of his people, and he punished them for his own choices. Just because you are not ruling as he did does not mean that you are ruling wrong, or that you are weak. It takes a stronger man to rule with kindness and have a great Kingdom than it does for a King to rule with fear," Ygraine said softly but her words were firm.

"What do you mean his own choices?" Arthur frowned after a few beats of taking in what she said. Her words making his heart and shoulders feel a little lighter.

"Arthur. We have met before. Morgause really did manage to summon me," Ygraine said gently, but she felt her son's body freeze.

"But that means…you said…"

"You were born of magic Arthur. Morgause's spell it was not a natural summoning as this is, it was painful and uncomfortable to my soul. I was not as gentle with the truth as I should have been I fear," Ygraine sighed.

"But…he killed you…magic killed you! He was right!" Arthur frowned, confusion and pain warring within him as he looked at the woman he had lost, the kind and warmth, the gentleness and maternal presence that had not been present during his childhood.

"No Arthur. Listen to me!" Ygraine said firmly when she saw her son's distraction. "Your father made the agreement, not knowing that the price would be my life. Nimueh was my friend. She probably had her worries but you know what your father was like when he had his mind set on something and demanded it. And magic, magic was not to fault for this Arthur, a deal was met with all parties unknowing of the price it would claim and the terrible retribution your father would seek,"

"But…magic still claimed your life," Arthur said slowly, ignoring the tears that were trickling down his cheeks.

"Arthur. Magic is neutral and unbiased, it is ancient and human lives are but a dust speck in the light, with the exception of very few people. You can not give life back or create a life without another being claimed, that is the balance of the world, that is the price. For you to live, there had to be a price claimed. Magic decided that that would be me," Ygraine gently wiped his tears from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I so so sorry I…"

"No!" Ygraine interrupted his words shaking her head, tears appearing in her own eyes as she followed Arthur to the floor as his knees collapsed. "No, my baby, I would never ever regret having you. Even knowing the price, I would do it all again. You my love are worth everything, seeing the man you are here, standing in front of me, you are so worth it. Arthur you are my son, I carried you for nine months, I nurtured you, and every moment I got with you was amazing. You always were and always will be my miracle," She smiled through her tears as she brushed his hair from his face.

"But you died because of me," Arthur shook his head.

"Arthur, my love, I died so that you would live. That is a sacrifice any mother would make, that is a sacrifice I would make a hundred times willingly. The life you have, shines so brightly throughout the world and throughout history. The King you are and the King you will become, it was more than worth it Arthur," Ygraine smiled brightly.

"I needed you, I still need you," Arthur whispered.

"I'm so sorry, I wish I could have been there for you, I wish I could have seen you grow, been there when you had your nightmares, seen you wield your first sword and take part in your first tournament. But never forget Arthur I am not completely gone, a part of me will always be with you, and I will always be there with you, in here," Ygraine tapped his chest with her slender fingers.

"I need your strength. Some of the choices I have to make…they confuse me so much," Arthur sighed.

"You speak of magic," Ygraine stated rather than asked, taking his hands in hers.

"Yes. I do not agree with the way Father ruled and banned it, killing people for being suspected over it. But I have seen so much evil and hatred from magic," Arthur said softly.

"Arthur. Your father twisted the truth to make himself right. Yes magic can be corrupting, the power can consume some. But then so can the power of wielding a sword. When I was alive, the court was full of magic, and it performed such wonders, it helped our crops grow when the summer was too hot or the winters too cold, it helped heal the sick and the wounded. You have seen the worst of magic, because it is only those filled with hate and wanting revenge on your father that would risk coming into the open. But you have seen the good as well, unknowingly or not. You have seen the people punished for trying to heal or for helping the crops in their village. There is good magic out there Arthur, amazing magic that just waits for the time it will be accepted again before revealing itself," Ygraine told him passionately before smiling. "Would it help if I told you I could do magic?"

"What?!" Arthur nearly choked in shock at his mother's words.

"Oh I was nothing impressive, I had just a little magic. Enough to heal small wounds and sicknesses, I could sense things more than anything else, if there was danger to come, or happiness things like that," Ygraine nodded.

"But father…"

"As normal chose to see what he wanted," Ygraine rolled her eyes fondly.

"I don't know if I can welcome magic into my land," Arthur admitted lost.

"Can you condemn it and the people that use it?" Ygraine asked.

"No," Arthur said surely, the memory of the old woman lying dying by their fireside as Merlin tried to make her as comfortable as possible to die, to give her a little dignity back. The woman who had given him this gift.

"Then your choice is already made. Arthur you cling to this uncertainty mainly through loyalty to your father and not wanting to admit that he was so wrong. I loved your father, and he did his best. But he was a selfish man, and a spoilt one. He did not get his way exactly as he saw it, and rather than admit to his guilt for making the bargain without my knowledge, he punished others. But Camelot is yours now, and all its people, magical and not are yours to protect. You have already broken some of our oldest laws with your knights, this choice is one you must also make with your heart as well as your head," Ygraine advised.

"My knights…you do you…"

"I think they are wonderful! All those stuffy Pendragons will be rolling in theirs graves!" Ygraine laughed in delight. "They are wonderful men and even better Knights Arthur, and they will stand by your side till the end,"

"I wish that you could meet them, and Guinevere, you would get on I think," Arthur said thoughtfully.

"Ah. Yes, I do not think that myself and Guinevere would get along," Ygraine said, her suddenly tight and angry expression startling Arthur.

"Mother?" Arthur frowned confused.

"I am not sure that I should say anything Arthur, it is perhaps not my place," Ygraine shook her head, clearly trying to fight it into some sort of neutral expression.

"You are my mother, if there is anyone that has a place to say something it is you!" Arthur protested. "Is it because she is a commoner?"

"No Arthur!" Ygraine shook her head a little more rapidly.

"Because I married for love?" He asked feeling more lost.

"No, Arthur. It is perhaps that you married her for love that makes this worse," Ygraine sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose in a manner that startled him, it was a familiar gesture that he himself made when he was frustrated.

"Mother, please…" He decided to try pleading, something he realised broken her resolve quickly. She reached out and took his hand between hers gently before speaking.

"Arthur….Guinevere, she…she has not been faithful to you," Arthur reared back as though slapped, he wished his could shout denials and call her a liar, but the expression on her face made it clear that she wished she hadn't had to tell him. She looked even more sorrowful than when she had told him it was Uther's betrayal that had cost her her life, and him a mother.

"But…who?" He managed to choked out.

"Lancelot," Ygraine said the name that Arthur had known would be uttered and had prayed it would not be.

"I…I…" He frowned as he dropped forwards feeling his heart breaking. The two people he had trusted, the two who were in his closest circle. The two who knew they had the power to break him.

"Arthur…I wish I had the time to be more tactful, I wish I had the time to be gentle about this. But our time is running out here and it will be another year before you may summon me again if you wish. I know that this hurts, and I know that this betrayal will shake you to your roots. But love is not lost to you, nor is it impossible for you find and keep. There is one, one that has always been at your side, one that loves you with an honestly, with a truth and passion, with a loyalty that I doubt you will ever find in your life. One that would stand by your side for the rest of your lives…."

"Merlin," Arthur breathed out the name lifting his eyes to his mother's.

"Yes," She smiled. "And I feel that you do not feel so different?"

"I love him as my closest friend," Arthur shook his head.

"But it could be different if you allowed yourself to acknowledge it. And I think you have felt like this for a long time, even before Guinevere,"

"I would never betray her like that!" Arthur snapped.

"I know, I know, I was not saying that you would," Ygraine soothed him. "I think you realised the potential there, but for many reasons wished not to risk it, mainly for his own safety I would guess,"

"He was in enough danger being my friend. Being my lover? Male and a servant? I could not trust Father not to get rid of him for 'my own good'," Arthur sighed.

"Arthur you have no one dictating your life, no one but you to make this choices. Make the one that your heart tells you is right,"

"That has always been Merlin," Arthur smiled sadly.

"Its not too late. You are not the one betraying Guinevere, that betrayal has already taken part on her side. You have a chance to be happy and know real, unconditional love. Grasp it with both your hands Arthur and do not let it slip by again, I fear a third chance is not in your futures," Ygraine squeezed the hand in hers.

"But the people. Divorcing my Queen, and taking up with a male servant?"

"Arthur, Merlin is not merely a servant," Ygraine said slowly.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked confused.

"Arthur…Merlin is a powerful sorcerer, he is the last Dragon Lord. And he has been at your side all these years protecting you from harm, keeping who he really is secret, hiding and being thought of as nothing but a loyal idiot because he loves you and believes in the man you will become,"

"If he believes so strongly in who I am then why has he never told me!" Arthur finally managed to spit out after long beats of tension filled silence between them.

"Arthur, think! He has had to hide who he is his whole life, his mother probably drilled it into his head for his safety from a child. He was living under the King's nose. And you have never been steady on what you believe in magic, swinging back and forth. After Morgana and everything that has happened with her, and then that yellow bellied, greedy, disgusting, despicable coward of a brother of mine, he fears what another betrayal will do to you, and he believes that you will see this as a betrayal. Think how you would feel, believing that the person that you love more than anyone else, the person you have dedicated your life to, believeing that they could look at you with hate, distrust and disgust in their eyes," Ygraine shook his shoulders slightly to make sure he was listening to her.

"I would never…"

"Arthur your temper proceeds rational thought sometimes. A part of you sees this as a betrayal, I can see it in your eyes. What would you do if this was him facing you, telling you. Would you give him the time to defend himself?"

"I…no," Arthur deflated staring at his mother mournfully.

"Oh Arthur, this not a bad thing. Merlin has saved your life so many times, not allow him to save and protect your heart. Together, oh Arthur, together the things that you can do! The land you can build! Have faith in him, trust him, because if there is one person that will never let you down, that will never betray you, it is that boy," Ygraine smiled.

"My friendship with him, I can't risk losing that," Arthur admitted his fear quietly, gripping onto his mother's hands.

"Arthur, you won't be losing that friendship, you will be gaining more on top of it. Plus you are already risking losing that friendship by pushing Merlin away and keeping him at arms length. He is in love with you, can you imagine what it is like for him, watching you with Guinevere, being kept at arms length. Its always a risk that you are going to lose someone by getting into a relationship with them. But I think that you and Merlin do not have to worry, the future you have together and the lives you are destined to live are so twined together I am not sure that there is an Arthur without a Merlin. Your future blazes so brightly together," Ygraine stroked her hand over his cheek.

"You think...you would love him," Arthur grinned.

"I love him already for the man that he has helped you become already. I'm sure that I would love him, especially as I know you Pendragon's need someone who will tell you when you are being idiots!" Ygraine chuckled.

"Mother!" Arthur protested with a laugh.

"What, I love you, but you know that you can be a bit of a prat sometimes," Ygraine teased.

"That's what Merlin said to me the first time we met," Arthur laughed.

"Really? Tell me!" Ygraine laughingly demanded. Arthur grinned before telling her about the first two meetings with himself and Merlin. And then he found himself telling her about their different times together.

"I'm still not entirely sure what a clotpole is," Arthur snickered.

"Oh Arthur, he sounds wonderful!" Ygraine wiped a tear from her eye.

"I think...you're right, our relationship is worth the risk, what I think that we could have," Arthur bit his lip.

"Oh Arthur, I'm so glad!" Ygraine tugged him forwards into a hug. And so he felt it when Ygraine jerked suddenly.

"Mother?"

"I have to go Arthur, our time is up," Ygraine smiled sadly, cupping his face, her eyes drinking him in desperately.

"Already!" Arthur protested, holding onto her tighter.

"There is a limit or you will be trapped here," Ygraine ran her fingers through his hair. "You can come back in a year and we can see each other again. And I expect to see a different ring on this finger Arthur Pendragon. You deserve real and honest love!" Ygraine scolded lightly tapping Guinevere's ring on his finger.

"I will, I'll be here, and maybe I can bring Merlin with me next time. I would love for you to actually meet him," Arthur sniffled slightly feeling tears building in his eyes.

"I would love to get to see you both next year. Now go, before you are trapped, and tell that boy how you feel about him," Ygraine kissed both his cheeks and then his forehead before they fell together in one last desperate hug.

Arthur had to be helped to his feet by Ygraine after she stood, allowing her to pull him to his feet. With one last hug they forced themselves to part from each other, staggering back a few stops. Arthur could feel the pull to stay, to stay with his mother and not let go of her after finally getting to meet her, to know her love and her kindness. But the thought of Merlin, waiting for him on the other side of where ever they were, probably worrying about him and panicking about what was happening to him. The promise of the chance of a future that they could have.

"You have to go now my love, and don't look back, whatever happens you can't look back!" Ygraine warned.

"I won't look back. I will see you in a year," Arthur promised, walking slowly backwards.

"I will see you in a year. Now go," Ygraine smiled through her tears. Uncaring of his own spilling down his cheeks Arthur turned and went back the way he had come. "Remember Arthur, I will always love you," Ygraine whispered after him.

The urge to turn back and have just one last look was almost too much to bear, but his mother's warning and the tone of her voice lingered in his mind and he grit his teeth almost painfully and kept looking forward to where he knew Merlin was. His breath left him in a whoosh as he stepped through the light and into the dull sunlight and wide landscape where he had left Merlin.

"Arthur!" Merlin had rushed forwards as soon as he saw Arthur stumbling, and his deceptively strong hands grasped his upper arms. Before he could really think about what he was doing, or the fact that while he had discussed this with his mother and fairly made up his mind, he had not yet spoken to Merlin, he could not stop himself from wrapping his arms around Merlin's waist and hugging him tightly.

He was fairly sure that he had not taken or given so many hugs in a year as he had today, but he needed the comfort of Merlin, of what he had good and waiting for him here to take away from the betrayal still burning his heart, and the desire to turn around and go back to his mother's warmth and safety. He felt Merlin freezing, probably completely shocked and worried now at this unusual behaviour. But when Arthur snuggled closer breathing in the earthy, herbal, soapy scent that was all Merlin, the thinner man wrapped his arms around Arthur and hugged back.

"Come, we need to find somewhere to camp before night falls," Arthur pulled away slowly and with clear reluctance, but the wind was starting to bite through them and the sun was already beginning to sink.

"Arthur what…." Merlin frowned at him clearly concerned.

"Later, come on," Arthur automatically took Merlin's hand and started leading him back to the horses. When he felt the shock from Merlin at the action he considered letting go but thought better and just led Merlin to the horses.

He could feel Merlin's worried eyes on him as they mounted their horses and started away from the stones. It was unspoken between them that they both wanted to put as far between them and the stones as they could before they settled down to camp, the stones eery atmosphere was not something they wanted to be near to while they slept.

They had been riding for a good hour before the sun rapidly began to set leaving them with no choice but to find somewhere suitable and start setting up their camp. They moved with years of practice and familiarity, setting up their camp rapidly until they had their bed rolls laid out, a fire crackling merrily and burning brighter and brighter, meat was cooking nicely over the fire giving off a scent that was making Arthur's stomach rumble. They had both settled down on either side of the fire and were sitting in two very different silences. Merlin watching Arthur concerned and frowning slightly. Arthur going over everything that had happened and had been said and the choices and decisions he was now going to have to make.

"I am thinking of making this a yearly celebration, I promised my mother I would be back next year," Arthur finally spoke, clearly shocking Merlin.

"A yearly…but that would mean celebrating magic! And…wait…your mother but you…" He stammered.

"Apparently magic knows my heart, my real desires and who I need to speak to better than I do myself. It was my mother who was summoned," Arthur smiled, a little bittersweet but definitely with happiness.

"I what did she…," Merlin looked as though he was about to have a heart attack so Arthur took pity on him.

"She told me that it was her that Morgause summoned, and that what she had told me was true, that I was born of magic. As I think you know," Arthur took pity, but not completely.

"Arthur I…I couldn't let you kill your father, if you had you would have hated yourself! No matter what he had done! You were so angry and the only thing I could think to say to get you to calm down and stop was…"

"Merlin, honestly calm down," Arthur chuckled slightly amused at how frantic Merlin was getting himself when Arthur was just sitting calmly on the other side of the fire. Something Merlin just seemed to realise.

"You're not angry?" He asked confused.

"My mother spoke to me about a lot of things to make me see them as they really are and not what I have had worn into my head, or refuse to disbelieve because of loyalty to my father. Magic for one," Arthur watched closely and so could see Merlin flinch.

"Magic?" He choked out.

"Magic. I have made steps with the Druids. But all magic users while not persecuted as they were are still not welcomed. I need to start making changes to that, when we get back I will start making new decrees and laws, yourself and Gaius will have to help me start laying them out and figuring them out. After all if you have magic that it can't be all bad, and a stumbling idiot like you is definitely not an evil master mind," Arthur said calmly watching Merlin's face pale.

"Arthur…" Merlin wheezed as though something was sitting on his chest. "I…I…I…please…"

"Come here you idiot," Arthur moved quickly around the fire and once again tugged Merlin against his chest again, he held him firmly and tilted Merlin's face up to press their lips together firmly.

"Arthur no!" Merlin tugged his face away from Arthur, the King feeling his heart shattering, his mother had gotten it wrong! "I can't…I can't do this and then…and then watch you going back to…to Gwen and pretend…" Merlin shook his head, tears filling his eyes as he tried to push away from Arthur.

"Shush, shush, Merlin listen to me, please!" It was probably the please that did it, because Merlin stopped struggling against him, instead blinking up at him with those damned wide, so blue, eyes filled with tears.

"Arthur, please don't…" Merlin lowered his eyes, his hand resting on Arthur's chest but at least not trying to escape anymore.

"Listen to me. When we go back to Camelot I will be telling Guinevere that we are getting divorced and that she is to leave Camelot. I will give her one of the houses on the outskirts of the Kingdom and…"

"Arthur what?! What happened? Something is wrong! You love Gwen, you wouldn't do this just like that. We need to get you Gaius and…" Arthur tugged Merlin back down when the younger man started trying to pull him to his feet, clearly intending on taking him back to Camelot right now.

"Merlin, nothing has happened to me. I have just had a…well it wasn't a suspicion that they had gone this far, I never thought they would betray me like this…I was sure she would come to me before this would happen but…they have and now I have to do what I should have done a long time ago, except I have to send them away now," Arthur sighed tiredly, the day weighing on him.

"Arthur? What are you talking about?" Merlin asked, concern growing even more on his face.

"Guinevere and Lancelot are having an affair, I suspect it probably started about two years ago," Arthur sighed.

"Oh Arthur…I thought Gwen had made her choice and they were both sticking to it, if I had known I would have…" Merlin drew off looking at Arthur sadly.

"I sort of knew myself, somewhere deep down. But I did love Guinevere and she was safe so I ignored it because I was afraid of what I really wanted. I am to blame for this as well, I would have preferred if they had come to me and told me that they wanted to be together, but I'm sure she knew that she did not have my full love, just as I suspected I did not have hers," Arthur shrugged.

"But who…"

"Merlin, you really are an idiot sometimes," Arthur sighed amused.

"Hey! What do you... Oh," Merlin blinked up at him, hope visibly welling up in his eyes.

"Yes oh. Merlin I was a coward, I needed you with me, I needed you. I was terrified of losing what we had by taking a chance at something more, so I pushed my feelings back and pretended they were something else. I've been unfair to you, and probably have not right to ask this, but do we have a chance?" Arthur asked nervously.

"What feelings?" Merlin bit his lip unsurely.

"What?" Arthur blinked.

"You're feelings, what are they? We have gone too long not knowing really how the other feels, we need to talk about this properly. I need you to tell me how you feel," Merlin said a little more firmly.

"I…you are everything to me. You support me when I am weak and remind me I am strong when my courage is failing, even though you are the one that gives me that strength. You make me feel like a man when everyone else sees someone who is forced onto a pedestal and has to live up to it, you make me better and even more than that you make me want to be better. You remind me in the good and happiness that there is in my life when everything seems to be swallowing me. And I honestly don't think that I can even imagine you not being with me, I can't imagine you not being in my life, and I don't know what I would do without you with me. Gwen, the Knight, Gaius, Geoffrey, even my father when he was alive – all of them I know I can carry on without, it will hurt and I would grieve their loss, but you…you have twined yourself around me so much, around my heart that I am not sure I exist without you. You're my other half, my heart and soul, and I love you more than Camelot, I love you from one end of Albion to the other and the heavens above us. You're my guiding light when the darkness starts to swallow me and I love you more than anything else," Arthur spoke from his heart despite his normal reticence to put himself so vulnerably on display like this, knowing that his future with Merlin rested right here on this moment.

And he didn't take his eyes off of Merlin's face as he talked, watched as his words soaked into all the wounds and scars that his words and actions had caused over the years and started to heal them over. He watched as Merlin's eyes filled with happiness and tears until just as he finished Merlin threw himself into his chest and held on tightly so that the last of Arthur's words were murmured against jet black hair.

"I love you Arthur, so much," Merlin admitted shakily, the words he had held so close finally falling from his lips in a tumble into the skin over Arthur's heart.

"Do we have a chance?" Arthur asked softly.

"Yes, I want nothing more than to be with you, to give us a try," Merlin smiled raising his head. Arthur leant down slowly, letting Merlin understand what he was doing this time, and kissed him gently, both of them feeling the soothing wave falling over their bodies and hearts even as a fire seemed to race through their veins. "Arthur," Merlin complained trying to follow and deepen the kiss when Arthur pulled away.

"I won't dishonour you by going any further when I am still a married man to all intents. We will get back to Camelot tomorrow and I will talk to Guinevere and Lancelot, I will inform them of their banishment and the divorce. And then I will start the proper courting towards you, after appointing you Court Sorcerer and Magical Advisor of course," Arthur said with more strength than he reckoned he actually had.

"Arthur the proper courting lasts four months!" Merlin groaned dropping his head against Arthur's chest.

"I will do this properly!" Arthur said managing to sound both determined and strained at the same time. Merlin's warmth pressing against his body was not really helping.

"I've been waiting ten years Arthur!" Merlin whined.

"Then four months will not be much," Arthur smirked running his fingers through Merlin's black hair, enjoying the simple fact of being allowed to touch Merlin tenderly and intimately.

"Ten years of watching you bathe, and prance around half naked! All sweaty and dirty from practices and exercising in those damned tops that go mostly see through with sweat!" Merlin complained.

"Ten years of watching you bend over scrubbing that damned table, or the floor, or the hearth, all sweaty and dirty with that ridiculous grin that makes me want to do all sorts of things to you that did I not set the laws I am sure should be illegal – and I do not prance Merlin," Arthur retorted.

"You do so prance. Are you sure that we can't just keep it secret?" Merlin asked hopefully, ignoring the way his face was burning at Arthur's words.

"I do not prance Merlin, I am the King, King's don't prance," Arthur sniffed sticking his nose pompously into the air and getting the laugh he was looking for from Merlin. "And no we can not just keep it a secret, I want to do this properly, please Merlin?"

"Oh fine! But don't blame me if something magically goes boom when we get to finally do it!" Merlin pouted before tensing and looking up at Arthur nervously at his slip in words.

"I'll make sure that anything dangerous, heavy or sharp besides the bed is removed from our chambers before hand, though you can be the one to explain to the servants why," Arthur snorted.

"I'm thinking more the torches in the castle all becoming flame throwers," Merlin snickered.

"Oh dear lord, I knew I was going to regret this," Arthur sighed dramatically before laughing when Merlin's sharp elbows dug into his side. "Ok, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. For now lets sleep, we have a long ride back and I want to do get all this sorted as soon as we get back," Arthur winced at the thought standing when Merlin shuffled back slightly.

"You know if you keep Leon awake all night he's going to be seriously grumpy as normal, we should set off earlier than normal," Merlin said thoughtfully, nodding when Arthur winced at the thought of Leon without sleep.

"That would mean you actually have to be awake Merlin," Arthur teased.

"I can wake up!" Merlin protested before blinking. "What are you doing?"

"I'm pulling our bed rolls together, just because we can not do other things doesn't mean I can't get to sleep with you in my arms," Arthur snorted.

"Might be you sleeping in my arms," Merlin grumbled under his breath despite knowing it was a lie, he had dreamt about getting to sleep in Arthur's arms for years, he was not going to pass the chance up. So much so that he was already moving towards the bed rolls.

"King's don't sleep in their Consort's arms Merlin," Arthur drawled.

"Bat ears! And they might," Merlin grinned flopping down onto Arthur roll. He was hysterically laughing by the time Arthur finished tickling him and bodily moved him onto his own bed roll before flopping down behind him and tugging him back against his warm body firmly before covering them with the blanket and fur they had with them to keep out the winter chill. "Arthur?" Merlin asked after a few moments of silence and both of them getting their breath.

"Hmm?"

"Are you ok? Everything, your mother, Gwen, Lance…are you ok?" Merlin asked softly, running his fingers over the back of Arthur's hand and arm where it was thrown over his waist.

"I needed to speak to my mother. She told me things that I have known for a long time, but have never been brave enough to face. Getting to talk to her even for just that time, made me feel…I don't know…more centred. I was never really my father's son, we were too different, I guess it's good to know that I am my mother's son. It's eased something I never really knew was hurting, or at least not the full extent. Guinevere and Lancelot, it hurts, of course it does. More the fact that they betrayed me, and didn't feel they could come to me and speak to me before they committed the betrayal. I would like to think they know me well enough to know that if they had come to me and told me that they loved each other that much that they were willing to risk their lives to be together, I would have let Guinevere go. I would have carried on with the marriage, despite us had this not happened, I couldn't have betrayed her loyalty…" Something like guilt coloured Arthur's voice so Merlin squeezed his hand.

"I know, your loyalty and righteousness I love and hate," Merlin sighed raising Arthur's hand to his mouth to kiss the knuckles before placing it back over his waist. "Arthur I…I love you, I have for a long time, but I would have been content…no I would have been ok with whatever place I could have in your life, as long as I was in it,"

"I don't deserve you," Arthur shook his head holding Merlin tighter to himself.

"You deserve to be happy Arthur," Merlin squeezed his hand.

"You have always made me happiest. I've been a fool, but I was a fool for the best of intentions. Do you think…Do you think that you can be happy with the future we could have together?"

"We're already forging a future together Arthur, we have been for a long time. Us forging a future in a different direction together? Yes, I can be very happy with that," Merlin smiled, shifting until he could press his lips to Arthur's. He closed his eyes and sighed happily when Arthur's strong fingers combed into his hair as he tenderly kissed him back.

Merlin had been so sure that he would never get this, that this was something he was always going to be on the outside of in Arthur's life. And while he hadn't lied to Arthur when he said that he had been happy just being by Arthur's side, it had broken his heart seeing him with Gwen. He didn't know how long this was going to last, there was a part of him that wasn't entirely sure that this would last, that they wouldn't get back to Camelot and everything would just go back to exactly how it had been.

But Arthur's grip in his hair, his warm and firm hand on his hip, his warm body against him told him that Arthur was here and that this was real. Arthur's nature wasn't one to be cruel, especially not with someone else's emotions. As he lay deep into the night exchanging kisses with Arthur, the reality sank deeper and deeper into him, and he clung onto Arthur as hope and happiness welled inside of him, picking up speed and strength until he felt he could trust this.

And the future that he was looking at now, it was bigger and brighter and suddenly filled with a lot more hope and joy than he had become resigned to receiving in his life. And if the he was reading the look in Arthur's blue eyes correctly, a heck of a lot more love than he had thought he would ever receive.

Smiling in a way that was both shy and overjoyed Merlin snuggled down into Arthur's chest and settled down to get at least a little bit of sleep before they had to get up and ride back to Camelot. He knew that the future was not going to be easy, that it was going to hold a lot of hurt and pain for Arthur, even with their relationship the realty of the betrayal of two of the people he trusted most and the actions he would have to take were going to be gut wrenching, for Merlin he was going to be losing two of his closest friends, and bringing magic back was going to be fought against by a portion of the court and the people who had believed Uther's propaganda.

But they had each other, and they had proven before that together they could fight against anything that came their way and win. They were strong enough to fight through anything that came their way. And their destiny was set into place for them to follow.


	2. Uther

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rewrite of the episode 'The Death Song of Uther Pendragon'. Split into two chapters, the first being Ygraine showing up instead of Uther and how that would change Merlin and Arthur's destiny. The second being from the episode with a few key differences and how that would have changed the episode.

Arthur looked at Lancelot one last time, at his unhappy face but clearly showing that he wasn't going to stop Arthur from doing this. He ignored the tug in his chest as he thought of Merlin's blue eyes watched him with concern that morning. But he faced the stones and blew on the horn, the piercing sound echoing around the area. He breathed in and thought about his father, of wanting to see him again, of wanting to hear him again. How much he wanted to hear a parents advise right now.

The light swelled around him and took in a light breath before he walked forwards into the light. He was shocked by the icy heat that washed over him, freezing his skin and yet burning it up at the same time. He realised with a start that he was no longer walking through the light, instead the light was forming a room of some sort around him, about the size of the area inside of the stones. Gazed around awed it took him a moment to realise that there was a figure forming in front of him.

He squinted waiting to see his father finally, but blinked when the figure took shape in front of him. It was his father but at the same time it wasn't. His skin was tinged with blue, his lips colourless against his face, his eyes looked a little sunken, but he was here!

"Father," Arthur breathed out.

"Arthur," Uther nodded his eyes dispationate as they glanced over his son. Arthur wanted to rush forwards and wrap his arms around his father, he longed for one hug from him, one of the few in their lives but still he wanted it now. Instead he let his eyes drink in the sight of the man he thought he would never get to see again.

"I thought I would never see you again. There isn't a day that passes when I don't think of you," Arthur confessed softly, he could feel the tears filling his eyes a little but fought them back.

"And I, you," Uther nodded.

"There are times when I feel so alone, I wish more than anything that you were by my side," He felt he had been too young to take the throne sometimes and when the difficult decisions came, after Agravaine and Morgana, he wished his father was there to advise him.

"If I were at your side, I fear you would not like all that I have to say"

"What do you mean?" Arthur frowned something heavy sitting in his chest as he looked at his father.

"Many of the decisions you have made since you have become King go against all that I taught you." Uther scowled slightly for the first time since Arthur first saw him again.

"I have done what I have believed to be right,"

"You have ignored our tradition, our ancient laws. You have allowed common men to become knights," The sneer was one Arthur had almost forgotten, but it came right back to his memories as he fought against stepping back slightly against the words.

"They are some of the finest knights that Camelot's ever known. They would gladly give their lives for the kingdom," He had his own frown crossing his face. He had known of course what his father would think about knighting common men, he had heard exactly what his father's council thought of it and knew that his father's words would not have been much different. But he had thought that as with the council when his father saw what they were doing together, saw the tales of he and his knights that swept through the land, that he might realise Arthur had made the right choice.

"They question your decisions. They make you look weak," Uther spat out, distain clear across his face.

"Listening to others is a sign of strength, not weakness," Arthur repeated the words Merlin had told him so many times when doubt wracked his mind. He wished Merlin was here with him now, at his side through this. He should have listened to him when he had said with a knowing look in his eyes that using the horn was a bad idea.

"How do you expect anyone to fear a King who does not know his own mind?" Uther shook his head.

"I don't want my people to respect me because they fear me!" Arthur said shakily frowning, he had hoped that his father would realise that during their arguments over the years and the moments that Arthur had stood up to Uther and refused one of his orders point blank.

"Then they will not respect you at all. Your marriage should have served to form an alliance with another kingdom and you choose to marry a serving boy!"

"I married for love. I love him. More than... I can express," Arthur shot back, a stab going through his heart as he pictured gorgeous blue eyes and a smile that always managed to warm him no matter what.

"There are some things that are more important than love. It is your duty to strengthen and protect the kingdom. You have failed," Uther said disappointedly.

"I have always strived to make you proud!"

"How can I be proud of a son who ignores everything that I taught him? Who is destroying my legacy?" Uther spat out furiously.

"I have brought peace to the kingdom..." Arthur said softly trying to ignore the pain of those words.

"At what price? The peace cannot last. If you are not strong, the kingdom will fall. You must go now," His father sighed turning his head slightly as though he had heard something.

" I need more time. There is still so much I wish to say." Arthur said incredulously and a little desperately.

" If you stay, you will be forever trapped in the world of the dead. You must go now. Go!" The words were haunting and his father was looking different, weaker.

"This can't be the last time I will ever see you!" The tears were burning his eyes again.

"Think about everything that I have said to you. It isn't too late. Now go," Arthur stumbled backwards before turning and walking back the way he had come. He paused however and turned a little when he heard the words following him through the light. "I will always love you, Arthur,"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do you want to talk about it? What happened at the stones?" Lance asked softly after they had set up their camp and had settled down on either side of the fire. It was at times like this that Arthur regretted that nine times out of ten Merlin could no longer travel out of Camelot with him. He missed their journeys together, their more peaceful intentions that always seemed to turn into some sort of adventure.

"It seems my father doesn't approve of the way I have chosen to rule his kingdom," Arthur said softly. Even if he did not have Merlin here he did have Lancelot, who somehow managed to be both his closest friend and Merlin's, even through their arguments, though Arthur would have to say that Lancelot was closet to him, Gwaine taking the same place at Merlin's side.

"You mean your kingdom." Lancelot corrected gently.

"The things he said about the knights, about my marriage. What if he's right? What if I have weakened Camelot?" Arthur frowned down at his hands.

"Do you really believe that? You have always done what you believed to be right. The people respect you!" Lancelot said firmly, shock quickly turning to anger across his face.

"Thank you, Lancelot," Arthur smiled a little looking up at his friend, though it was clear that doubt was still lingering in his face.

"Though as much as I respect you if Merlin asks me, I will be telling him the truth, he's much scarier than you," Lancelot grinned a little to ease the tension, something that clearly worked when Arthur snorted amused at the thought of the slender dark haired man and his legendary annoyance.

"Traitor," He mutter good naturedly shuffling down to catch some sleep before they had to ride back to Camelot.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We covered the area from Pawlett down to Meldreth. This includes 30 troops at Bawtry. 15 at Talan. Ten at Chime. Nine at Brune. 11 at Burwelle..." Most of the table were battling with sleep as they listened to Leon's unfortunately quite drone voice reading out the notices, even Arthur was battling with his attention despite having to have sat through meetings like this from when he was a young boy. Though he and Lancelot had ridden hard and fast to get back to Camelot before they faced trouble from their respective partners.

Their sleepiness was effectively destroyed when the candelabra that hung above the table crashed down and landed squarely in the middle of the table, bits of wood fracturing off and leaving everyone blinking shocked at it. Just as all their hearts were calming down the doors of the hall slammed open simultaneously making all the knights startle and jump.

"I want the table repaired before the next council meeting. Are you listening to me, Merlin?" Arthur sighed pausing halfway down the hallway when he realised the dark haired man was no longer at his side, ignoring the annoying servant fluttering anxiously behind him after walking into Arthur at his sudden stop, he hated the new servants and how…servile they were.

"What? Sorry. I was just thinking about what happened," Merlin blinked before hurrying to fall back into step with Arthur.

"Did you get a terrible fright?" Arthur couldn't help be tease, ignoring the fact he had had been sure his heart had stopped for a moment.

"Yes. My heart nearly jumped out through my mouth." Merlin said dryly, though there was a hint of truth there.

"Oh, well maybe you should have the rest of the day off and put your feet up?" Arthur suggested.

"Really?" Merlin said hopefully before pouting when he looked closer at Arthur's face instead of glancing nervously around the hallway. "You were joking?"

"There really is no limit to your intelligence, is there, Merlin?" Arthur grinned tugging a glaring Merlin along after him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why does it always take you twice as long to change out of your armour?" Gwaine teased as the rest of the knights gave small chuckles as they made their way to the door, eager to get to bed after a hard day of training.

"Because I'm twice the size of you, little man," Percival jibed back easily abandoning unbuckling his armor to take a mocking threatening step towards his lover who just laughed.

"Then why is it that your brain is so small?" Gwaine laughingly raced out the armory with the others trailing behind shaking their heads when Percival growled a little and made another step towards his lover. Grinning to himself he sat down and started taking his armor off again when he froze as he heard a noise in the armory.

"Hello? Is someone there? Show yourself!" Percival demanded standing and walking a little down the room looking around. He chuckled a little to himself thinking he was hearing things and went to sit down again before his head jerked up in time to see an axe flying towards him. He winced as the axe bit into the flesh of his shoulder.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The axe must have fallen off the rack. I'm surprised that a falling axe would cause such a deep wound," Gaius frowned concerned as he bandaged the wound carefully.

"Not as surprised as I was," Percival snorted.

"Quite. You were lucky you weren't more severely injured," Gaius naturally fell into his fatherly roll with the knights as he had for the rest of the table, though never the same amount as he felt with the young man standing beside him, Merlin watching his actions with concern clearly for his friend.

"It's strange..." Percival started before drawing off.

"What's that?" Gaius could practically see Merlin's ears perking up with suspicion.

"Just before it happened. I sensed something, like there was someone there, watching me. I'm sure it was just my mind playing tricks on me," Percival grinned clearly feeling a little foolish.

"Apply a second poultice in the morning. And no training." Gaius ordered handing over the poultice.

"Thank you, Gaius," Percival smiled thankfully taking the poultice standing and making his way out of Gaius's rooms.

"Is there something wrong, Merlin? Merlin, I get the distinct impression there is something you're not telling me," Gaius raised his eyebrows at the younger man who was looking distinctly suspicious.

"No. Why would you say that?" Merlin said distractedly.

"Because there usually is," Gaius snorted amused.

"I think Arthur went to the Stones of Nemeton," Merlin sighed looking at Gaius.

"Merlin, I warned you of the dangers..." Gaius groaned.

"I don't know that he definitely went, and if he did he went without telling me!" Merlin scowled standing and pacing a little around the table.

"What is it, Merlin?" Gaius asked softly.

"After the candelabra fell, I was in the corridor outside the Council Chambers. I could sense something. It was like Percival said, a presence of some kind," Merlin frowned rubbing the back of his head distractedly.

"In the days of the Old Religion, the priestesses trained for years before entering into the spirit world. It was fraught with dangers. There was one thing they were schooled never to do. As the veil closed, they were never to look back at the spirit," Gaius explained.

"What happened if they did?" Merlin frowned.

"They'd release the spirit into this world,"

"Arthur must have looked back," Merlin sighed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What?" Arthur asked looking shifty and trying to frown at the same time making Merlin want to roll his eyes.

"At the Stones of Nemeton, I think that you may have released your father's spirit," Merlin repeated.

"And what makes you think that? I mean make you think that I went. Which I didn't," Arthur stammered.

"Did you look back? As the veil closed, did you look back at your father?" Merlin asked.

"I didn't go!" Arthur scowled.

"I already spoke to Lancelot," Merlin crossed his arms and glared at the blonde man.

"I…"

"He sang like a bird Arthur, and it didn't really take that much pressure," Merlin said thoughtfully as Arthur groaned and covered his face.

"Damn it!" Arthur muttered.

"You told me you wouldn't go!" Merlin snapped.

"I'm sorry I just….I wanted to speak to him!" Arthur tried to defend himself.

"No! I'm angry at you Arthur, you lied to me, you went behind my back, you put yourself in potential danger by just going out with Lancelot. And you went and did something that Gaius warned you not to do!" Merlin scowled.

"Please don't be angry I…" Arthur shrank down into his seat a little. Merlin tried desperately to hang onto his anger but there was that look in Arthur's eyes that had been there since he had caught Arthur sneaking back into their chambers. Sighing to himself at his own inability to stay angry when he was faced with Arthur's sad blue eyes peering at him mournfully.

He made his way over and swept his robes neatly underneath him in a move that he taken practice before perching on Arthur lap. His husband's arm wrapped around his waist firmly and tugged him back as Arthur buried his face into Merlin's shoulder. Merlin reached up and started running his fingers through Arthur's hair, knowing that right now no matter how much he wanted and needed answers Arthur needed comfort. He dreaded to think what Uther had said to Arthur, he knew how the man had thought and acted in life, and it wouldn't matter to him that it could have been the last time he and Arthur would see each other., that his son had come to see him and talk to him one last time after he was murdered in front of his eyes. No he was sure that whatever the man had said it would not have been pleasant for his son to hear.

"I may have glanced round for a second," Arthur murmured, his face still pressed into Merlin's shoulder.

"In that second, you unleashed Uther's spirit. All these strange things that have been happening? The candelabra falling onto the Round Table," Merlin sighed, the anger draining out of him.

"Yes, because the chain broke," Merlin rolled his eyes at the petulant tone in Arthur's voice, he wasn't really believing what he was saying, he just had to argue.

"The axe falling on Percival?"

"It was an accident,"

"Was it?" Arthur grimaced when he looked up and saw that Merlin was giving him the eye brow look that he had learnt from Gaius, the one that made you feel as though he was looking right through you.

"Do you really expect me to believe that my father's spirit is responsible for these things?"

"The Round Table represents everything that's changed since you became King. Lance told me how Uther disapproved. He's angry with you and that makes him dangerous," Merlin said as gently as he could manage, but he could still see Arthur bristling.

"I know my father. He wouldn't do these things!" Arthur frowned.

"I think he'd do anything to protect his legacy. Who know what he's capable of?! Arthur I know you don't want to believe that your father is doing this, that he would do this. But we both know that he would never agree with the way that you have chosen to rule, and when it came to his beliefs and his legacy…we both know that he was more than capable in life of doing terrible things to maintain it, he's not going to be different in death," Merlin tempered his voice with a steel that his husband needed right now, gripping Arthur's face to make him meet his eyes.

"Leave me now!" Arthur snapped turning his head away from his husband.

"Arthur!" Merlin tried to keep the hurt from his voice, but he knew he failed miserably.

"Now!" Arthur snapped, wincing as he looked at Merlin and caught the expression on his face. Except before he could say anything Merlin was on his feet and sweeping out the room, their room, slamming the door behind him with a bang that Arthur was fairly sure he had magnified with his magic. Sighing he dropped his head into his hands and tried to think this through, he knew…he knew that Merlin was speaking the truth. But admitting to himself that his father disagreed with what he was doing so much that he was doing all this?!

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"My Lord!" Arthur wasn't sure how long he sat at the table for, waiting for Merlin to come back from where he had likely gone to Gaius's chambers as he did when they had a fight. But he frowned when he realised the time, Merlin always came back so that they could make up before bed. Something Hunith had always said to be about never going to sleep on an argument.

"What's happened?" Arthur was on his feet fast enough the frantic looking messenger actually startled back.

"King Merlin, he was attacked and locked in the kitchens," The messenger panted out.

"Did he manage to put it out?" Arthur asked shakily.

"He was knocked unconscious sire, Lord Gwaine and Lancelot saw the smoke and got him out," Arthur was rushing passed the messenger before he could finish. "He is in Gaius's chambers My Lord!" The messenger shouted after him.

Arthur had never moved so fast in his entire life, he was sure of it. He raced through the corridors uncaring of who saw him, grateful that as part of his courting gift to Merlin and a general thanks to everything that Gaius had ever done for him, he had had the physician moved closer to their corridor and given much nicer rooms. There was a serious looking guard on the door outside who quickly let Arthur into the room and there he froze as the guard closed the door behind him.

Merlin was lying on the bed, unconcious or asleep but most likely the former, soot marring his beautiful moonlit pale skin, a small frown on his features even now. Gaius, Gwaine and Lance were in the room but Arthur had eyes for no one but his husband, his husband who had left him and been injured after an argument, and argument in which he knew Merlin was probably right, but his own pride would not allow him to admit it, and that childhood longing for his father to just accept him!

"Arthur, he's ok. He inhaled a little smoke but his magic is already healing him," Gaius assured him with a hand on his shoulder.

"This is my fault," Arthur shook his head.

"Arthur…"

"I should never have gone there to speak to my father, and Merlin…I didn't listen when he tried to tell me, I…I told him to leave and he…I've always known my father could be cruel, but why would he do this to Merlin? He knows how much I love him. Gaius. What do you know about ghosts?" Arthur sighed turning to look at the old man.

"We must force Uther's spirit to return to the other world before he does any more must use The Horn of Cathbhadh to reopen the veil between the worlds. But we must remember one thing...only the person who summoned the spirit can force it from this world," Gaius told him softly.

"Then we do it, is there anything that can be done to help us see him?" Arthur managed to ask before the door to the room was slamming open and a jumble of people tumbled into the room, quickly kicked out the way by a furious and heavily pregnant brunette who swiftly made her way to Merlin's side.

"My Lady, you're supposed to be on bed rest!" Gaius sighed sounding so exasperated that even Arthur's couldn't stop his lips from twitching.

"I am perfectly capable of walking!" Morgana huffed.

"You are due in three days!" None of them had ever heard Gaius so close to a whine as he was now.

"Exactly! Not like I am in labour right now, so I am perfectly capable of walking around, even if it does feel like my ankles are the size of watermelons and there are a few dozen bricks sitting on my spine," Morgana huffed.

"Is he ok?" Gwaine asked tugging himself loose from the jumble of Elyan, Leon, Percival, Mordred and…heavens three of the servants, two cooks and Morgana's hand maid! Arthur would never understand how Merlin managed to inspire such loyalty and never being aware of it.

"He's going to be perfectly fine," Gaius smiled.

"And we have something to do, armour up and get ready," Arthur instructed, his tone icy in a way they had only heard when he and Merlin had first started courting and one of the new knights had mistaken it as Merlin being…a bed warmer.

"Yes sire!" His knights were on their feet and ready in seconds, reminding him of why exactly he kept the idiots around.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Where is Gaius? How long does it take to make a potion?" Arthur grit out pacing his room. He wanted to be with his husband, but Gaius had kicked him out of the rooms for distracting him while he was trying to brew the potion that would allow them to see Uther's spirit. He could no longer even think the word father after when he had done to Merlin. It made him feel sick to his stomach that his own blood had tried to so viciously kill the man that he loved.

"These things take time if they're to be done properly," Leon sighed trying to calm him down where the others had just given up. They were all in his rooms, not taking the suggestion to wait else where. He was about to say something else when Elyan jumped and looked suspiciously as the door.

"What is it?" Percival asked, already jumpy from realizing what had attacked him in the armory.

"I heard something behind the door!" Elyan hissed.

"You're imagining things," Gwaine snorted but he was eyeing the door himself. They all jumped when they heard something and almost as one started edging towards it as they grit their teeth.

Arthur wasn't really very proud to admit that what proceeded was a lot of eye signals between them all for one of them to pull back the curtain covering the door and a lot of signals back that clearly said 'no, you!' In the end with a huff Arthur silently drew Excalibur and used it to tug the curtain aside. They all jumped before sighing when they saw the mouse blinking back at them, probably terrified at the sight of a group of knights staring down at it.

Geoffrey was definitely not hearing about this to put in that damned book of his! Honestly who the hell named their book le Morte De Arthur while their King was still alive! Never mind that it 'had a good ring to it'.

"There's your ghost, Elyan," Mondred snickered. Blushing Elyan flipped him off before they all turned and proceeded to jump of their skins at the sight of Gaius standing behind them looking like he was wondering if they had been at the monnshine. Again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The potion will allow you to see Uther in his spirit form. Once you are in his presence, you must blow the horn. It is the only way you can force him to go back to the spirit world," Gaius explained from where they were all sitting around the table with a vial of the lime green potion sitting in front of them.

"Is it safe?" Leon asked eyeing the potion suspiciously. They all watched slightly horrified as Gaius paused, Paused! Before looking sheepish.

"I can't say I'm entirely sure," He shrugged.

"What are you waiting for?" Gwaine glared when Arthur didn't lift his vial with the rest of them.

"To see if it's safe," Arthur smirked.

"So, if we don't die, you'll take yours?" Gwaine snorted.

"Its our job to lay down our lives for our liege Lord willingly and…"

"Shut up Leon!" The other groaned before knocking back the potion. Arthur waited a few beats but when none of them dropped dead he sighed and lifted his own vial.

"Well, at least we know it doesn't kill you instantly. Eurgh! That... That is the foulest thing I've ever tasted!" He spluttered seriously contemplating trying to ring his tongue out.

"Sorry. Did we forget to tell you about that part?" Lance smirked while Gaius just rolled his eyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There!" Mordred suddenly called making them all jump and turn towards where he was pointing, Arthur already raising the horn to his lips.

"Where?" Arthur demanded.

"Oh, it's just our shadows. Ow!" Mordred yelped and glared when he shadow puppet impression was stopped by Arthur smacking him over the back of the head.

"Ok, split up into four groups, take a corridor each, and shout if you see him," Arthur sighed when they reached one of the more maze like parts of the castle. He, Gwaine and Leon crept alone the moonlit corridor relying on their torch to see. They all froze and waited expectantly when they saw a shadow from under the door, all three of them ready as it swung open only to reveal…

"My Lord, Gwaine, Leon,"

"Sir Oswin," They nodded simultaneously, all of them trying and failing not to look guilty if the look they were being shot was anything to go by.

"Is everything all right, my Lord?" Sir Oswin asked slowly.

"It's perfectly fine. We are... Leon. Tell Oswin what we're doing," Arthur smiled a little forcedly as his frazzled mind failed to come up with anything.

"We're... we're teaching him some poetry!" Leon blurted out before his eyes widened in slight panic as Arthur turned to stare at him incredulously. Gwaine was looking a little busy trying not to wet himself laughing.

"Poetry?" Oswin asked slowly looking more than a little bemused now.

"I...love poetry!" Arthur grit out, mentally wishing Leon to burst into flames with the force of his glare. Honestly this was something Merlin would do to him!

"I was as surprised as you are. He can't get enough of it!" Gwaine of course jumped on the band wagon won. "And Merlin apparently loves to hear him read his sonnets to him!"

"I'll leave you to your poetry, then, my Lord," Oswin said completely bemused before wandering quickly away. Then Arthur could turn the full force of his glare onto a now openly wincing Leon.

"Poetry? That's the best you could come up with?"

"What did you want me to say?" He pouted.

"I don't know. Something that didn't make me sound like a love struck girl!" Arthur said exasperatedly before turning to Gwaine. "And you…"

"What was that?" Leon hissed as something caught all their eyes.

"It was my father. I never thought the day would come when I would be hunting my own father. When I became King, more than anything, I wanted to make him proud. What is it?" Arthur said grimly as they quickly made their way down the corridor.

"You've always done what you believed to be right even if you knew your father would disapprove of it. Do you not see how different you are to him? Camelot is a better place since you became King," Gwaine said firmly, his face unusually serious for once.

"Gwaine is right Arthur. You were chasing and in love with Merlin long ago, knowing how your father would feel if he found out. And you have made a Camelot that the people had dreamt of," Leon nodded.

"My father clearly doesn't think so," Arthur sighed.

"The people believe in you, Arthur. It counts for nothing if you don't believe in yourself," Gwaine shook his head. They all froze once again when the torch went out and then they heard noises from either end of the corridor.

"Check the storeroom," Arthur ordered them both leaving no room for argument as he quickly turned and made his way through the corridors, following the lingering sounds. He should not really have been surprised when the sounds led him into the throne room, really his father always did like big dramatic gestures.

"Father? I know it's you, Father. Why are you doing this?" Arthur spat out into the emptiness of the room. Feeling a little foolish, but he knew his father was here, he could feel him.

"I did not spend my entire life building this kingdom to see my own son destroy it," Uther appeared, lounging in his throne. No in Arthur's throne!

"You tried to kill Merlin!" Arthur spat out, fury radiating from every pore.

"For your own good. How can a serving boy understand what it means to be consort? No! You would never have made this decision, to bring magic back! He has you under an enchantment!"

"Merlin is wise, and strong, and I trust him more than anyone. The people love and respect him, as do I! No spell Father, much as it may pain you to hear. I love Merlin of my own choice and free will, I love him with everything that I have. More than Camelot," Arthur said firmly meeting his father's eyes steadily.

"And that is your weakness. You put too much trust in other people. You, and you alone must rule Camelot," Uther spat with a vicious sneer across his face.

"I would rather not rule at all, than rule alone," Arthur shook his head.

"Your whole life, I tried to prepare you for the day you would become King. Did you learn nothing?" Uther hissed furiously.

"I watched you rule, and I learnt that if you trust no-one, you will always live in fear. Your hatred came from fear, not strength,"

"How dare you!"

"I loved, and respected you. But I have to rule the Kingdom in my own way. I have to do what I believe to be right," Arthur straightened his shoulders as he met his father's eyes.

"I will not allow you destroy all that I built," Uther was radiating fury as he stood from the throne.

"Then you will have to kill me. I am not you, Father. I can't rule the way you did," Arthur said sofltly, he needed to know…

"Camelot must come before all else. Even you," Uther shook his head before looking to the right and forcing a shield from the wall towards Arthur's head.

"Get away from him, Uther! You've caused enough harm. You don't belong here. You must return to the other world," Arthur felt the familiar warmth of his husband's magic before he heard his voice, the shield flying away from him. Merlin and Morgana were standing in the doorway radiating fury and magic, as well as slight disbelief in what Uther had just done which Arthur wished he could possess. But no, he had always known that he was nowhere near the top five priorities for Uther.

"This is MY kingdom! You think you can drive me from it? You are nothing but a serving boy!" Uther laughed.

"I am much more than that," Merlin smirked. "I am King Consort of Camelot, lover and husband to your son, and father to the future heir of Camelot," Merlin smirked looking to Morgana who looked cheerfully vindictive as she rubbed her hand over her swollen belly.

"What…no…what is going on here…you…this is disgusting! You slept with your husband's sister!" Uther spluttered.

"Oh Father do stop being so dirty minded. No, Merlin and I created a spell that allowed Arthur and Merlin's sperm to mix together, with a little potion ingredients and some of my blood as a female Pendragon to create the baby, and then I am carrying it. We aren't creating it out of nothing so no sacrifices needed," Morgana explained happily.

"Our son or daughter will carry on the line, will carry on the good that Arthur is doing to wash away the cruelty and injustice of your reign. Arthur it ten times the King you were, and he will be remembered for the rest of time as the greatest King that ever lived. In thousands of years people will still be writing books on him and singing songs of him, remembering the greatness he possessed and the things that he achieved," Merlin said with so much pride that despite himself and the situation Arthur felt himself blushing bright red, much to Morgana's amusement.

"You've had your turn. Now it's mine, ours," Arthur said softly raising the horn to his lips.

"No Arthur please," Uther suddenly begged as though he hadn't just tried to kill his son! Arthur just met his eyes sadly before drawing in a breath and blowing the horn. The three of them watched as the spirit of Uther disappeared from their sights.

Then Merlin yelped in shock when Arthur's arms wrapped around him tightly, lifting so he had to wrap his legs around Arthur's waist. They both heard Morgana muttering about going to bed but barely realised she had left as they clung tightly onto each other.

"If you ever do something as stupid as that again Arthur Pendragon I swear I will magically bind you to my side!" Arthur became aware of Merlin muttering into his hair making him smile.

"I am so sorry," Arthur said a little brokenly as he hugged Merlin tighter.

"I know you are, just…can you stop sending me away whenever we have an argument. That really hurts," Merlin asked softly, keeping up the soothing stroking of his fingers through Arthur's hair to show he wasn't angry.

"Never again, I swear," Arthur said firmly, gently tugging Merlin down to kiss him. He kept the kiss short considering Merlin had been unconscious from smoke inhalation not that long ago, but both were more than content to just hold each other tightly and soak up the presence of the man they both knew they would love for eternity. Well at least until…

"DAMN IT! YOU TWO! MOVE IT NOW! MY WATERS JUST BROKE AND I AM STUCK HALFWAY UP THESE DAMNED STAIRS!"

The two of them blinked at each other before Arthur was racing for the doorway, completely forgetting to put Merlin down as he raced to his half-sister, who's curses were worryingly imaginative. His family was about to grow, and it couldn't be more perfect.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Congratulations, you have a son," Morgana was fairly beaming with pride as she eased the baby into Arthur's arms, the blonde King standing so that he and his husband could peer down at their so, awe written across their faces.

"Have you thought of a name?" Gaius asked, radiating pride himself even though he looked exhausted.

"Yes actually," Arthur said softly, getting shocked looks from everyone, including Merlin. "How do you feel about Balinor Gaius Pendragon?"

"Arthur are you… I thought…" Merlin stammered staring with wide tearful eyes between Arthur and their son.

"I want him to carry the names of strong men, who never give in on what they believed. We agreed on a family name, that's the family I want," Arthur said with a smile pressing the baby into Merlin arm, the shock of blonde hair against moonlit pale skin looking gorgeous already.

"Balinor Gaius Pendragon," Merlin tested the name with a smile. Behind them Gaius gave an almighty sniff, Morgana not faring much better though she was trying to hide the evidence.

"Welcome to our family little one, you are going to be so loved!" Arthur smiled as he bent to brush a kiss over his son's forehead before pressing his lips to Merlin's who laughed happily.


End file.
